Repeat Perfomance
by Macx
Summary: After the Beast Wars, another planet, the same all over again.... This was written before I saw all seasons, especially Code of a Hero :)


**Repeat Performance**   
by Birgit Staebler

  
Dinobot - Carnage   
Rhinox - Counterstrike   
Rattrap - Maverick   
Cheetor - Saber   
AirRazor - SkyDancer   
  


"Target in sight."   
"Shields on maximum! Ready forward assault guns!"   
"Forward guns ready!"   
The commander of the ship looked at the target area and nodded. Only a few more minutes and it would be over. "Any signs of discovery?"   
"Nope. They are completely oblivious to our presence."   
Optimus nodded. "The camouflage is working."   
"The moment we fire the guns, we'll be revealed," a dark voice rumbled and Counterstrike glanced at his commander.   
Optimus smiled. "Then it will be too late."   
"Target in range in one minute," Saber announced.   
"Guns up on full," Maverick added. "We're ready, Fearless Leader."   
Optimus nodded. "Drop camouflage on my command!" He watched the target come closer. "Now!"   
The ship dropped the cloaking shields and struck down on the unsuspecting base. Hot laser fire tore into the ground, ripping it open and blasting into the buildings.   
"We are on their radar," Counterstrike announced.   
"And on their targeting mechanisms!" Maverick added with a yelp. "Incoming!"   
"Saber, take us out!" Optimus ordered sharply.   
The young Maximal acknowledged and hit the thrusters on full, throwing the ship around and trying to get them out of the immediate line of fire.   
"They are quick," Maverick growled in disgust and unwilling admiration.   
"And strong!" Saber yelled. "Shield punctured!"   
Optimus looked at the damage report scrolling up on his station's screen. "Full power to aft shields and thrusters! Get us out of here, now!"   
"I'm trying!" Saber called back. "She isn't responding!"   
The ship was hit by more blasts and rocked heavily. Optimus held on to his chair.   
"Shields failing!" SkyDancer announced from her station.   
"Engines losing power!" Saber added, frantically trying to get the ship out of the planet's atmosphere.   
Optimus stared at the planet just below them and felt the ship rock again. Then it sagged abruptly, starting to fall.   
"We are going down!" Counterstrike growled.   
Optimus' lips became a thin, determined line. "Maverick, target them with everything we have left!" he ordered coldly.   
Maverick shot him a surprised look, then acknowledged and activated the front cannons again. Bright balls of fire rushed for the Predacon base and hit it full force while the Maximal ship spiraled down toward the planet's surface, getting more and more out of control. Optimus saw the base go up in flames and felt satisfaction course through him. They had completed their assignment.   
"Brace for impact!" Saber yelled and tried to get the ship to at least crash in a way that would not tear it apart.   
Optimus saw the planet rush up to meet them, then there was a loud, crunching noise. The lights went out and he was flung out of the command chair, coming hard up against whatever it was. Metal creaked and groaned under stress, somewhere something exploded and from the sound of it, one engine was among it. Then his circuits failed him and he lost consciousness.

* * *

"Incoming Maximal ship!"   
Charis whirled around, mouth agape. "What?"   
Enigma shook her head. "It just appeared on our radar! They have their shields on full and the gun ports open!"   
The Predacon commander hissed softly, his yellow eyes glowing. He had heard about the experimental cloaking devices, but he had not thought they had been perfected..... "Defenses!" he called.   
The base was hit by several blasts from the attacker and the lights flickered. Midgard strode into the room, her optics immediately drawn to the battle display.   
"They hit the lab section!" Rune announced, voice cold and emotionless. "Right on top."   
"Return fire!" Charis ordered. They knew what to hit first, he thought grimly. They came here because of it! Who told them? Their intelligence can't be all that good, or can it? He turned to his second-in-command and saw the same question in Midgard's eyes.   
This base was top secret, the personnel few and selected, the position of this small rock unknown and not on any maps. Charis hadn't known about the existence of this small backwater planet until the day he had been briefed and sent here as the military commander of this base. How could the Maximals have found out if not even he, a high ranking Predacon commander, had ever heard about this lab; not even rumors!!   
"Janus, open a line to Echo One! We need back-up!" he told his com officer.   
Echo One was the next military base and the one assigned to protect this lab in case it ever got attacked, which, following Pred High Command, was highly unlikely since it was the best guarded secret of the Predacons. Well, not any more. They had been discovered by Maximals and their latest project had just been turned into dust. The damage report told Charis that the lab was nothing but a ruin. All they had left now was the important data, which they would have to get out of here -- fast.   
Janus hit several keys on his board, but nothing happened. Well, something did happen, but not what he had wanted to. The communicator dish on top of the main building exploded and fiery fragments rained down everywhere.   
"Maximal ship still on course!" Enigma yelled. "Communication down! Charis, the lab is not responding. Complete obliteration!"   
Charis' face was a mask. "Full fire! Get that ship down! Rune, secure the computer files!"   
The next blast hit the command center and part of the wall was blown clear off. Rune gave a last yell, then his body slumped down over the smoking debris. Charis stared at the broken body shells of three more Predacons, then his optics fixed on the attacker. The Maximal ship was still under heavy fire, but its shields were warding most of the blasts off.   
Modified, the commander thought grimly. Designed for hit-and-run. This is worthy of a Predacon. My compliments.   
"I said full power on the cannons!" he hissed. "Get her down!"   
Midgard shot him a strange look, then complied and walked over to the station, shoving the dead Predacon aside and taking over. The next hit tore through the ship's shield and into the hull. Charis smiled grimly, then his face lost the smile again as the forward cannons of the Maximal attacker spewed more deadly fire. His world turned bright orange, then dark as his body shell was obliterated, circuits melting and tearing. The dead husk slumped to the ground. Midgard was a bit more lucky. She was thrown clear out of the room and though her damage report told her she was barely functional, she managed to get further away. She crawled down the corridor, her audio sensors assaulted by explosions, tearing metal and the sound of stressed jet engines. Then there was a resounding boom. The Maximal ship, she thought with a humorless smile.   
Someone suddenly grabbed her and she came optics to optics with another battered looking Predacon. "Parafire?" she asked, recognizing the scientific head of the base.   
"Yes. Let's get out of here," the scientist said hoarsely, lifting her effortlessly and carrying her away. She got a look of more dead shells and shuddered, then her systems surrendered to the stress and she fell unconscious.   


Carnage smiled dimly, his systems failing one after another. He had survived, but he knew that if Predacon High Command ever found out about what he had done, they would dismantle him -- if they would be so gentle. But he had done what honor had told him to do. There was a line between senseless mass slaughter and a war. The weapon developed here would have crossed that line. Maybe they would call him a Maximal friend, a traitor, but there was no sense, no honor, in slaughtering the population of a whole planet just to erase a Maximal base.   
The Predacon soldier chuckled. Maybe it is true, he thought humorlessly. My memory core is tainted. I have come to adapt Maximal ways. Curse you, Optimus Primal!   
Then again, he hadn't been the only one to voice doubt and protest against this new weapon of destruction. It might give the Predacons the edge in this war, but what would they have gained if all worlds were dead? Those who had protested had been imprisoned for spreading Maximal beliefs, so he had kept his vocal unit shut, but when he had been transferred here, he had not believed his luck. And he had used this opportunity.   
Smiling grimly he staggered against the wall, his equilibrium failing. Maybe this would only slow everything down, not hold it completely, but at least he had done what his honor had told him.

*

Outside smoke drifted into the sky, originating from the burning Predacon base and the crashed Maximal ship. Inside the ship, Optimus and his crew were moving faintly. Lights flickered on and off and the main computer whirred softly, trying to reestablish some connections for emergency operation. Inside the base, nothing moved -- nothing at all.

* * *

It was a mess, Maverick thought as he stepped into the Predacon base, gun ready in case something unforeseen would happen. He didn't think anyone could have survived the pounding blasts, but you could never be too cautious. He had only lived so long in this war because he was very, very cautious where he went and what he did.   
"Yeow, major bang," Saber commented and stepped over some debris to the computer banks. Everything was dark and quiet.   
"I think we hit the main power core," Optimus said, his optics scanning the room.   
"Not only that," SkyDancer muttered.   
That was true. The main lab section was nothing but a smoking ruin, the command center was half scrapped and the remaining buildings looked like they would break down like cardboard boxes any second. Maverick guessed that if anything was still in one piece it had to be somewhere in the sub-levels.   
"Search the base!" Optimus ordered. "Counterstrike, try and get some power back to the computer. I want to know if the data for the super weapon is still stored here. If it is, erase it."   
Counterstrike nodded, sheathed his gun and walked over to the computer banks. He opened a panel and gave a grunt. Several burned out circuits greeted him.   
"This will take a while, Optimus," he rumbled.   
Optimus nodded, still scanning the room, which was more or less cast in shadows. "Do it. We'll search the base in the meantime.   
The Maximals spread out and began a detailed search. It was vital that they found out whether or not this base contained anything to help them either repair their ship so it could at least lift off and get them into space, or find something like an escape shuttle. Maverick grimaced as he nearly treaded onto something looking like an arm. The mangled piece of metal lay in the corridor and not far away he found the owner of the arm. It wasn't a Predacon he knew, but it was definitely a Predacon. As he scouted through the base, listening to the soft radio conversation between Saber and Optimus, who were moving toward the hangar bay and the basement facilities, he thought again of their situation. If they didn't find a way off this dirtball, they'd be stranded here until someone would finally get enough sense together to launch a search ship. Maverick also knew that would be very unlikely. Even if they missed them, and they would if they didn't return, no one would go after them. This mission had been to go into Predacon territory, destroy the base and erase the data for the super weapon. Maximal High Command had made it clear that if they didn't return, High Command would not send out valuable manpower to find them. They were on their own.   
Maverick entered what seemed like a lab. Well, it had been a lab before the Axalon's forward guns had turned the base into a scrap heap. Turned over tables, destroyed test racks and assorted other stuff littered the floor. Something must have exploded here, he saw, because there were scorch marks everywhere. He sighed silently and was about to leave when he heard something out of the depths of the wrecked room. He tensed. All Predacons were dead, right? No one could have survived this blast. It was impossible. More than half the base had gone up in bright flames and the lab and most of the command center had been obliterated. Maverick knew there had been about two dozen Preds here, most of them scientist, but the body shells they had found had told the story of what happened to them. Obliteration. He smiled grimly. The Axalon II had done her job in her last few, functional minutes.   
He moved carefully into the room again and scanned it. No movements, no nothing. He didn't find energon readings or Pred energy signatures, but something had made this noise. Maverick was paranoid enough to believe it was a survivor until he found out different. Paranoia insured survival, just like caution did.   
Something moved.   
Maverick whirled around and his gun aimed at a shadow launching itself his way. Fast! His internal systems only now read faint energy signatures, Pred signatures, and he was too surprised by the fact that he hadn't received prior warnings, that he was toppled over by the larger shape. The shape, about twice as tall as he was, tried to make a run for the door. Maverick, lying on the floor, briefly wondering why the Pred had not finished him, grabbed his gun and aimed for the fleeing shape. The blast didn't hit the other one, but it came close. Maverick cursed, then cursed again as the Predacon whirled back toward him. Red eyes flared up in the darkness of the lab and he saw the shape shift.   
Transformation! he thought. Darn!   
He heard a growl, then something strong slammed into him. He fell back again and his gun went flying out of his hand. Maverick rolled out of the way as the Predacon attacked again and in the twilight he thought he saw something reptilian. It was bipedal, it was fast for reading so low on energon, and it was strong!   
The Predacon tried to leave again and this time he made it through the door into the better lit corridor. Maverick followed and was shocked for a second. The Predacon was a raptor. He knew the shape, he knew it well. Well, at least he had known a shape like this. This one was bipedal with four-fingered arms, equipped with sharp talons, a flexible tail, and towering over him. Red optics glowed out of the dragon-like face, lips drawn back over metal teeth. The skin was colored in dark blue and near-black, criss-crossed by burn marks and cuts. Right now the Predacon looked like on the verge of a collapse, but his optics showed desperation and the will to survive, whatever the odds.   
Maverick raised his blaster. "Okay, Chopperface, ya got two options," he told the Predacon, deciding that a prisoner might be better than another body. They might need him -- maybe. "I can blast ya right here and now, or ya'll give up."   
The Predacon rumbled softly, not at least relaxing out of his battle stance, but there was a strange expression in the dark face. He had his head tilted to the right an inch.   
"Ya deaf, or what?" Maverick asked, trigger finger hovering over the trigger.   
"No," was the hiss. "But you have gone blind ..... vermin."   
Maverick stared at him, mouth agape. This couldn't possibly be.... This was too big a coincidence to happen, right? But then... The voice was right.....   
"Dinobot?" he asked cautiously.   
The Predacon chuckled and it sounded like he had at least one damaged oxygen filter, judging from the rattling noise and cough. "I haven't heard that name in a long time.... Rattrap."   
Maverick blinked. It was true. "Maverick," he corrected automatically. "How... how did you survive this?"   
Dinobot -- or whatever he was called now -- grinned nastily. "I'm harder to get rid off than you think."   
Maverick grinned. "Yeah, I can believe that."   
"Now, are you going to shoot me or what?"   
Maverick gave him a calculating look. "Only if ya plan ta do something stupid -- like attack me again."   
Dinobot smiled again. "I couldn't even if I wanted to."   
That was the moment the communicator crackled into life. "Maverick, this is Saber, are you reading me?"   
Maverick acknowledged, keeping an eye on Dinobot. "Yeah, gotcha, kid."   
"Optimus wants us to meet back at the command center. Did you find something?"   
Maverick noted Dinobot's expression as he heard Optimus' name. "Yeah, I found somethin'. An' you wouldn't believe what it is even if I told ya. Meetcha back at the command center. Maverick out."   
"Optimus is here as well?" Dinobot asked, tilting his head again.   
Maverick nodded. "The whole gang, except for old Stripes." He gestured with his gun. "C'mon, move it, Chopperface. We got a date with Fearless Leader."   
Dinobot grinned again and turned, staggering slightly. Maverick thought he was really in no condition to be a threat at all. As they passed under a functioning emergency light he discovered all the assorted wounds and bruises and shook his head. It was a miracle Dinobot was still on his own two feet. Energon leaked out of several cuts and he wondered if the Predacon could transform back at all. Well, he'd have to see that when he got him to Optimus.

* * *

Midgard came back to full consciousness and immediately accessed her damage report. It was depressingly long and detailed. She managed to sit up and looked around. She was in a cave, she discovered. Not far away from her lay another Predacon body shell and she immediately saw that it was too late for him. Azrael, she identified him, feeling sorry.   
"Conserve your energon," Parafire rumbled and stepped into view. "We have very little to spare."   
"How many survived?" she asked.   
"Including us, five others."   
"Not much," Midgard muttered.   
"No, but at least it is more than initially thought. Tsunami is outside scouting. He is in the best shape of us all. And he is the most agile."   
"What about the Maximals?" Midgard tried to get into a more comfortable position.   
"Their ship went down and it looks like they survived. Tsunami reported that they were scouting the base."   
Midgard's face was a mask of determination. "They'll pay for this!"   
Parafire smiled cruelly. "Of course they will, but we first have to get back into shape. I sent Spectre out to find a secure way to the secondary base. We'll move the moment he reports back."   
Midgard nodded. The secondary base was a small, unarmed lab, but at least it had CR chambers and the necessary equipment for emergency repairs for more grievous wounds a CR chamber could not heal. And it would serve as their stronghold.   
"Good," she whispered.

* * *

"Dinobot?" Optimus stared at his former comrade in shock and surprise.   
Dinobot, who was still in raptor mode and still under guard from Maverick, looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and caution. "Yes. You have changed."   
Optimus smiled grimly. "Well, you look almost the same."   
Dinobot mirrored the smile. "Not really. And my name is Carnage now." He was leaning heavily against an overturned table and Optimus wondered what kept him going. He should have shut down from stress long ago. He didn't look like the explosion had been gentle with him at all.   
Optimus' optics narrowed a bit. "What were you doing here?"   
"Guess." At the deep scowl he chuckled. "This is a secret Predacon base. I was assigned here, simple." He looked around. "And you destroyed the base. Good intelligence. Good work."   
"Not good enough," Maverick muttered. "Ya still alive, Scalebelly. If I had known ya were here, I'd have added a few blasts."   
Carnage growled softly, revealing his sharp teeth again. Then he turned his attention back to Optimus. "What do you want with me now?" he asked. "Destroy me?"   
Optimus shook his head. "No, Carnage. You know this is not my way. Normally I'd say we'd take you back as a prisoner, but," his optics took on a strange expression, "we can't."   
"You crashed," Carnage stated.   
"Yes."   
He chuckled. "Ironic, isn't it?"   
Optimus smiled as well. "In a way. Is there a shuttle here? An escape pod?"   
"No. Everything went up the moment the hangar blew."   
Saber, formerly known as Cheetor, nodded. "Yeah, quite a mess. Saw it."   
"So there is no way off this dirtball?" Maverick sighed.   
"Exactly."   
Carnage eyed them all. "How many of you are there?"   
"Six," Optimus answered. "Any other survivors?"   
"Not that I know."   
Saber sighed. "Oh, geez. We are stuck."   
Counterstrike entered the command center, glanced at Carnage with a surprised expression, and then shook his head as Optimus looked at him. "Power is too low to get anything out of the computer core. I'll have to take it apart and get it back to the Axalon. Might have enough power there to look it through."   
Optimus nodded. "Do it." He looked at Carnage. "You need repairs."   
"Why bother?" Maverick asked, the old gleam in his eyes. "Waste of energon and repair facilities."   
Carnage's optics glowed brightly. "I'll waste you if you don't watch your tongue, vermin."   
"Oh, yeah? Try me! Ya in no shape to go up against a mouse!"   
"But I can squash rat!"   
Maverick waved the blaster under the raptor's nose. "Ya wanna try right now?"   
Carnage snarled. "Don't tempt me!"   
Optimus rolled his optics. "Saber, get Carnage to the Axalon and into the CR chamber. Maverick, you're with me. I want this base checked one last time. No nasty surprises."   
"Yeah," Maverick muttered. "I had my share of nasty surprises." He gave Carnage a pointed look.   
Carnage looked like he was about to jump the smaller Maximal, but he was in no shape at all. Saber nodded at him to follow and so he did. Optimus watched them go.   
"Doesn't this remind you of something?" Counterstrike rumbled.   
Optimus smiled ruefully. "Yes. Prime, ain't it?"   
Counterstrike chuckled. "Yes."

* * *

Tsunami watched Skydancer and her Predacon prisoner leave the destroyed base. It was Carnage. The Predacon looked in bad shape and Tsunami wondered if he should attack and try to spring him. Then again, even if he could fight off Skydancer, Carnage would not be fast enough to flee with him. The airborne Predacon decided to watch them a while longer and then report back to Midgard and Parafire. They would be interested in the news of another survivor. And Carnage would be a valuable addition to their forces -- if he survived his wounds. But he was a pure-bread soldier and Tsunami knew it would take more than what had been thrown against him to make Carnage topple.   
He spread his wings and cautiously flew toward the crashed Maximal ship.

* * *

Carnage stepped out of the CR chamber and flexed his taloned hands. Optimus was already awaiting him, standing behind the round display table. Carnage had to confess that the Axalon II didn't look all too different inside than the original Axalon, though the outside had changed a lot. This was no longer an exploration vessel, this was a battle ship. Small, strong, fast. And crashed. Just like the ship, the commander of it had changed as well. Optimus was still more than a head smaller than him and his general design was the same, but Carnage suspected that his transformation had been changed. A gorilla wasn't exactly a shape he would see as useful in a battle. Judging from what he saw, it was something with wings and teeth, but he could only guess.   
Optimus eyed his former ally with the same caution he was watched by Carnage. He tried to compare the robot with the memory of Dinobot and had to confess that except for a few changes, much had stayed the same. The facial features were the same, but the shape of the head had changed and he appeared to have down-sized on the bulkiness a bit, though he was still armored. The darker colors gave him a menacing look, even more than before, and the red optics had a reptilian shape, though not reptilian pupils. Carnage's hands were five-fingered and he had the same talons as before, though the hand now had a more human design. He appeared swifter, more slender, but still deadly.   
"What a coincidence," Carnage now said calmly.   
"Yes," Optimus answered slowly.   
"I am surprised they let you keep this crew and gave you a new ship," Carnage snarled, the old challenge in his voice.   
Optimus smiled dimly. "Yes, but why tear apart a well-functioning team?"   
It was true. After the a new probe had found them on the unknown and unnamed planet, taking the Predacon criminals and the crashed explorers home to Cybertron, Maximal Command had let them stay together as a crew. With the new war at hand, they had needed every team they could get. The Axalon's crew had been remodeled and they had given themselves new names, except for Optimus himself, who had stuck with his old one. Tigatron had not been reassigned to the battle ship Optimus had been given to command and which had been named Axalon II. Optimus had found out later that Tigatron, now called Camouflage, had requested to be transferred to another exploration crew. There had been no need for explorers, but he had been assigned to an outpost faraway from the immediate battle ground.   
"Why help me?" Carnage asked. "I'm Predacon."   
"And the only survivor," Optimus added with a slight smile.   
"And an enemy."   
The Maximal commander sighed. "I'm not a killer, Carnage."   
"I know, Optimus, but what if it hadn't been me?" Carnage asked.   
Optimus sighed again. It was a valid question. "I would have done the same. We are in on this together. None of us can leave here and we have to work together."   
Carnage grinned nastily. "Just like in old times."   
"In a way." Optimus gave him a narrow-eyed look. "And I hope I can put as much trust in you as in old times, Carnage."   
Their optics met. "Nothing has changed," he then said.   
Optimus nodded. So he could still trust Carnage to be himself -- honorable.   
"Ey, Chopperface. Got yaself a new look, eh?" Maverick looked him up and down. "Latest Pred fashion?"   
Carnage glowered down at the smaller Maximal. Only now did Optimus discover that there wasn't any Predacon symbol on the dark body -- just like before. He wondered how Carnage had circumvented getting branded. Then again, how had he ever managed to run without a symbol?   
"I'll remodel you into the latest scrap fashion, Rat Face, if you don't keep your mouth shut!" Carnage now hissed.   
"Ehhh, I'm soooo scared," Maverick taunted him.   
Carnage made a step towards him and Optimus tensed, ready to intervene. They had returned from the alien planet several years ago and gone their separate ways, since the war had broken out again between Predacons and Maximals. Since then they hadn't seen a trace of Dinobot/Carnage and Optimus had been kind of relieved. He had thought long and hard about what he would do should he ever face his old ally in a battle field. He had never come up with a solution. Now they were together again and it seemed at least Maverick had no trouble recalling old times. None at all! But was Carnage still controlled enough to stop before something nasty happened? As he watched the tall Predacon, Optimus saw that this was the case. There was a barely perceptible gleam in the red optics. Carnage enjoyed it as well.....   
"You should be," Carnage now said.   
"Why? Because ya got yerself a new set o' talons? Ohhhhh....I'm all a-quiver." Maverick grinned.   
Counterstrike entered and there was an amused smile on his lips as he watched the two old 'enemies' slip back into their roles.   
"Optimus, it doesn't look good," he addressed the commander. "The engines are down and though I might be able to repair one of them, I can't guarantee it would take us off the planet. It's rather we'd have a brief period of weightlessness and then plunge down again."   
Optimus grimaced. "And no parts to repair the drive, right? Well, that's just prime."   
"Your Maximal friends will surely miss you soon," Carnage said sarcastically.   
"Not likely," Optimus shook his head. "This mission was kind of a top secret no-return operation. Well, we planned to return, but in case we got lost, there would be no one helping us out." He shrugged.   
"I see." There was a strange expression on Carnage's face.   
"Weeeell," Maverick said and shrugged, "at least we destroyed the base and the weapon with it. That'll teach the Preds to mess with us!"   
"Yeah," Saber added. "So much for military secrets, hehe."   
Carnage glowered at him. "Without inside information you'd never have discovered the planet!"   
Maverick stared at him. "How do you wanna know that, eh, Chopperface? Maximal Intelligence got a whiff of ya friends' plans and ruined ya party. Ya just don't wanna admit that ya bunged up!"   
Carange hissed softly and glowered at the smaller robot. "You would never have heard of this! This base is the most secret of all research and development labs. Not even everyone in High Command knows about it!"   
"Yeah, well, ya all losers when it comes to secrets," Maverick taunted him. "If this was yer most secret base, I don't wanna know what we discovered as well and might be destroying right now."   
"No, Carnage is right, Maverick," Counterstrike rumbled. "This base was the best kept secret of the Predacons. Someone gave us inside information."   
Optimus nodded. "But we never found out who."   
"Ya kiddin' me!" the small spy exclaimed.   
Carnage snorted, grinning nastily. "Admit it, Rat Breath, your intelligence isn't worth crap."   
Maverick's eyes narrowed. "Watch it!"   
"How would you know it was inside information?" Optimus asked all of a sudden.   
Carnage looked caught for a second, then a mask of neutrality slipped over his features. "It's the only way you could have heard of this."   
"Not really. Maximal Intelligence isn't incompetent. We discovered a few of your so-called 'top secrets'. I know from the mission briefing that someone from this planet contacted us a few days before we were launched, someone they though was believable. Whoever it was gave us the coordinates and the plans of what was being constructed here." He tilted his head. "And you survived as the only Predacon."   
Carnage's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm not a traitor," he hissed.   
"Oh, yeah, we know that," Maverick said mockingly.   
The following transformation was so fast that Maverick had no chance at all. Carnage's strong tail slammed into him and he sailed through the room, connecting hard with the opposite wall. Saber pulled his gun, but he didn't fire. He shot an inquiring look at Optimus, who had his own gun drawn.   
"I am not a traitor!" Carnage hissed, ignoring the others, aiming solely for Maverick, who was stumbling back to his feet, rubbing his head.   
"But you gave us the coordinates," Optimus stated, playing out a wild guess.   
Carnage's glare was answer enough.   
"What?! Why?" Maverick asked, perplexed. "This killed all yer comrades."   
"And saved the lives of millions of innocents," Optimus completed, stowing his weapon, understanding rising in his eyes. "The weapon would have destroyed not only military, but also civil targets."   
"This is war," Carnage hissed, "not mass destruction or senseless slaughter."   
Maverick stared at him. "I'm hearing things," he muttered. "Izzat you talkin', Chopperface?"   
Carnage growled softly. "There is no honor in destroying the civil population of a nation. There is no honor in eradicating a whole planet to destroy a base!"   
Optimus nodded slowly. He had thought as much about Carnage's motivation.   
"And I would have gladly accepted my death," the raptor went on, "but my luck failed me. The explosion only damaged me." He transformed back, his face a hard mask of mixed emotions. "I was hoping that I might meet my end in an honorable fight, but it didn't seem to be my lucky day." A humorless smile creased his lips.   
Optimus smiled as well. "Well, anyway, I have to thank you, even if you don't want to hear it."   
Carnage shot him a dark look, not at all pleased to be thanked for his betrayal. He turned and left the command room. The Maximal commander sighed and watched him go, then looked at his small team.   
"Well, looks like we all got ourselves into a similar situation as on the energon planet once more. Our survival is on top of the list. I'm open for suggestions as to what to do....."   
Maverick, Saber, AirRazor and Rhinox exchanged looks. So were they!

*

Midgard looked at Tsunami in disbelief. "What?" she managed.   
"I said, Carnage is a traitor. He gave the information to the Maximals." The aerial spy looked disgusted and angry.   
Midgard mirrored the anger. She couldn't get herself to believe that Carnage was a traitor, but then again, she had never truly trusted him. Charis had given her the file about the soldier and she had frowned when she had read that he had been among those who had stolen the Golden Disk and then crashed on the unknown planet. The Maximals had found them, secured the planet and turned over the renegade Predacons. Carnage had been called Dinobot then. Midgard had no idea why, but Predacon High Command had not sentenced him like the others. He had been welcomed back in the Predacon army and worked his way quickly up through the ranks again. He had been transferred to this place two weeks prior to this catastrophe.....   
"We'll get him for this," she vowed. "But first we have to secure our position. Salvage the base and try to stay out of the Maximals' way. They'll hear about us the moment we are ready -- to strike!"   



End file.
